Films/Shows/Music update: Everything I watched and listened to over the weekend. LONG LIST!!

[alexandral]

Kamenashi Kazuya/KAT-TUN/Yamapi/ Nobuta wo Produce/ Kurosagi
Fabulous winterspel made a great post promoting music clips of Japanese singer/actor Kamenashi Kazuya and Japanese boy band "KAT-TUN". I have been listening to these clips on and off and I am pleasantly surprised. The standard of music and voices is quite high. The standard of dancing is even

Comments

[winterspel]

Hmmmm, I'm glad you like the clips I shared with you, but I should qualify with what I told you before, and that is that many Japanese singers do not always sound that great live, although there are also many who DO. The clips I shared were among the better sounding ones, but there are many live clips that sound less good in terms of being on key. But for me, and I think for most JE fans, it's something that we accept as part of the package, and part of the "cuteness" and "normal-ness" of the people we like, so it doesn't bother us much. KAT-TUN's studio work is all great-sounding, though.

For example, Takuya Kimura's group, SMAP features one of the very worst Japanese singers ever, Masahiro Nakai, who makes me want to be deaf to listen to him. However, I really love Nakai in ever other way because he is a very good dancer, and a very funny guy with tremendous personality. I think perhaps this is the benefit of being all-around entertainers - even if there is one thing we don't like, there are so many other aspects that we CAN and DO like.

Also, I wanted to add that I was absolutely NOT a pop fan (of any style) before this, although I occasionally do like some pop music. I've certainly never been into boybands. But Japanese boybands are a completely different species because as I said above it's not just about the music, it's about them as entertainers and personalities, and they have a tremendous amount of appeals on many levels, not just music.

Re: Kurosagi - for me, I was less interested in the swindling and more interested in Kurosaki's relationships with Katsuragi and with Tsurara and with the character development. I think those are the things that made the drama so incredibly appealing to me.

I'm awfully glad you like the Kamenashi Kazuya pimp post. *Huge Smile* I was so nervous about it! :)

[alexandral]

I'm awfully glad you like the Kamenashi Kazuya pimp post. *Huge Smile* I was so nervous about it! :)

Oh, you didn't have to be! I really really appreciate it!! And I think many other people enjoyed it too!

but there are many live clips that sound less good in terms of being on key. But for me, and I think for most JE fans, it's something that we accept as part of the package

I understand this so well! They are also amazing entertainers indeed! Their dancing is so fabulous, even for my old-lady tastes. I think this is what must be of great value in Japan ( I am just guessing here) - the whole personality of the band members, The fact that their fans see them in shows and on stage. It is like Kame is not just Kame-the-singer, he is Hiroto at the same time!

And again, this is so interesting culturally, because, of course, I am forever comparing with Russian approach . And in Russia, especially in Russian rock, the words and poetry of songs is what matters the most, not music, not dancing. A lot of band leaders are not even pretty by any stretch of imagination. What I am trying to say is - I see how different things are. And I LOVE IT!

For example, Takuya Kimura's group, SMAP features one of the very worst Japanese singers ever

I must say that I had ventured to listen some of their clips after "Long Vacation" and was scarred for life. Though I am trying to keep open-minded approach and will probably try to listen to some "SMAP" later. But Senna + Takuya of "SMAP" = I can't comprehend this yet. :)

I was less interested in the swindling and more interested in Kurosaki's relationships with Katsuragi and with Tsurara and with the character development

I think this what I like too! And also Yamapi!